New Zealand Libraries are True Community Spaces

I love the libraries in New Zealand. They are true community spaces!

Today I spend the whole day in one of the many libraries in New Zealand. A place where I witnessed a play for children (and their parents for that matter), a group of elderly women getting together for a round of Scrabble and a guy on a sewing machine right next to a 3D printer. How cool is that? It reminds me a bit of Maker Spaces in Germany. The libraries in New Zealand are not just about books, they are about bringing people together by offering space and resources.

I myself worked on one of the provided external monitors with my own setup: a notebook, an external ortholiniar keyboard and an ergo touchpad. Of course, the Wi-Fi was free. People without their own computer have access to one of the library. Hell, they even have gaming PCs and a PlayStation with a big screen.

Some more details I loved: They offer drinking water, which is chlorine free, and ceramic mugs; They have a bookshelf with recently returned books to see what people have been reading lately; They have a table with a big puzzle where everybody can chime in.

And all of that is super accessible: I used the printer without signing up. But if you do, the membership is free and borrowing a book as well. Last but not least, there are always a couple librarians around offering help.

New Zealand libraries are great places!